DE10007584A1 - Automatic project plan scheduling method involves adjusting deadline for completing project, based on available resources - Google Patents

Abstract

The method involves scheduling a project plan based on various factors associated with the project. The deadline for completing project is adjusted, based on the available resources. An independent claim is also included for a digital processing unit for scheduling a project plan.

Description

The invention relates to a method for automatic Linking at least one organizer with an or multiple project plans using digital processing processing unit.

Appointments, i.e. mostly calendar appointments are difficult to work with project plans; H. Timings certain projects. This leads in practice to shortcomings. Because the schedules take in the Usually no consideration of existing resources, be it on human working hours or with the inclusion of Machine availability. Typical examples of a too sufficient coordination is familiar to everyone and press mostly in a timely execution of a Order. - The invention as a whole wants to remedy this create.

The invention is based on the technical problem Procedure for the automatic linking of schedules with project plans using digital processing unit, which limits the regular existing resources are taken into account and thus flexible Handling and in particular given processing outgoing orders.

To achieve this object, the invention relates to a method for automatically linking at least one schedule to one or more project plans using a digital processing unit, with the following method steps:

• a) Every single schedule is regularly automatic in an at least resource-bound and at that Adapted format of existing project plans Appointment project plan converted;
• b) the appointment project plan is then shared with the others at least depending on resource plans like.

The respective project plan is mostly a project, Resource and, if necessary, partner-related time lapse certain actions. In other words in a project plan usually certain project-related Actions filed according to their timing. This In the simplest case, it can be customized assembly several specified individual parts to form a complete machine be within a certain time frame. The partner is the customer in the present case, who the with ordered a machine identified for a specific project has and would like to have delivered after a certain time. In this case, the project plan determines which ones Individual parts of the machine in question at what time must be completed or delivered.

Of course it depends on the partner "customer" and that Project "Machine" created project plan especially from the available resources. This can be in the Standard case about the available temporary worker,  So the product of employees and more accomplished or working hours to be performed. Of course for the most part, other resources must also be considered. It is conceivable here, for example, that one for the Zu assembly of the machine, essential sweat automat or a specific crane only for a limited Time is available. This becomes even clearer when a corresponding facility must be rented. Because then you endeavor to keep the rental period so short dimensioned as possible.

In any case, it is clear that the project according to the invention don't just schedule certain actions in terms of timing Consider implementation of the project, but about it also the respective partner and / or the existing partner Resources. For example, the partner also act as a freight forwarder that is on schedule Delivery of the individual parts and removal of the total machine provides.

In other words, every project plan usually depends on at least one resource, each action of the Pro jektplanes on the availability of at least one Resource is checked.

The appointment project plan also usually depends on little least one resource. However, he is mostly project as well as partner-independent training. In other words the appointment project plan according to the invention of a Schedule derived for each individual resource - regardless of the other project plans.  

For example, this resource can be one Trade employees or a machine.

The schedule takes into account in the first case for example, meetings, vacation / sick leave ten, business trips, etc. In the latter case, it can for any other use of this machine that is required the rental period, etc.

Anyway, from this calendar time processes in the form of respective schedules or appointments derive an appointment project plan from the Format forth and the introduction in the described Linking is designed like the rest of the project plans.

For example, it is conceivable to schedule the project Employee "Meier" with each project plan, which also has to do with the aforementioned employee Has. This ensures that the Employee "Meier" does not work more hours per week is charged as this in the employment contract or otherwise is regulated. Of course, this also means that vacation Entities, business trips etc. easily taken into account find because the appointment project plan with each individual Project plan is matched to which of the employees "Meier" is involved. This will be discussed in detail within the Embodiment will be explained in more detail.

Overall, the appointment project plan is within the scope of the Erfin So mostly as a resource-dependent time lapse  of actions specified by appointments. The Actions of the other project plans correspond to the Appointment project plan so regular appointments there. there the schedule project plan for each individual resource, for example for the employee "Meier" with the Pro project plan or the project plans of the matching Resource (also employee "Meier") compared.

The comparison is usually made with a view to the in particular the time or quantity of the Resource (s) made. The time limit of the The "Meier" resource is regularly available standing weekly working hours.

A quantitative limit of the time Equipped resource is conceivable for the project plan In case this is the number of in a company available vehicles, machines, rooms, etc. Because, of course, this appointment project plan for example also on the number of available standing and possibly occupied conference rooms take a look.

To be a particularly elegant and easy to use as well Implementation of the The project is to enable the procedure described plan and the appointment project plan as data records in stored in a relational database. Such records usually serve as information carriers for various data fields. They can usually be identified by a key or also clearly identify a name. It is conceivable  here, the appointment project plan of the employee "Meier" with to identify this key or name "Meier". Then the data belonging to the appointment project plan contains For example, set all information, the dates of the Affect employee "Meier".

In the case of the usual project plans, the respective Records for example with the name of a project, e.g. B. "Project 1". Then the contains associated data set "Project 1" all information visibly the actions required to implement of "Project 1" are required. Of course can also the respective Partners are filed. This can be a Customers, for example "X-AG" or "Y-AG", their ordered machines as part of "Project 1" to be completed. You can also in the Record the "Project 1" record on which resources for Realization of this project can be used got to. A conceivable resource is already here "Meier" spoke.

In any case, the data record adds information as usual various data fields together, the data fields in turn contain information of the same kind at for example the name, first name, age, etc. of the Employee "Meier". Of course this can be done Data field from a database management system via a Address field names or an attribute (e.g. the attribute "Employee Resource").  

Overall, it becomes a relational or multidimensional Database from the project plans or the appointment project plans derived in which the data - as described - stand in data fields that belong in their entirety Form records. Similar data records form one Relation. Logical can exist between several relations References (links or references) are created. These relations form the actual relational Database.

Finally, it is provided within the scope of the invention that the respective project plan and the appointment project plan stun daily, weekly, monthly and / or yearly on Kompa tibility or limitation of the available Resources are matched. For example conceivable that the employee's project schedule "Meier" if another appointment is agreed after comparison with the other project plans affecting him to one Warning and / or error message is running. This can be so look like a message to the person giving the appointment Person is sent that the employee "Meier" in the For example, the planned calendar week is fully booked and can no longer attend an additional appointment. - Of course It is also every half hour or even every minute Matching possible.

The invention also relates to a digital one Little processing unit for automatic linking At least one schedule with one or more projects plans to implement the described Process particularly suitable. This digital processing unit  is with an input and an output device, a memory and a comparator. By doing The appointment project plan is compared with the others Project plans compared at least depending on resources.

In the following, the invention is based on only one Exemplary embodiment illustrating the drawing tert; the only figure shows schematically a digital one Processing unit, which is used to carry out the described method is particularly suitable.

The digital processing unit shown in the single figure has an input device 1 , for example keyboard 1 . In addition to this input device 1 or an output device 2 is provided, which may be a screen or other display, such as a lamp or the like. Furthermore, a memory 3 is implemented in which individual project plans and, if applicable, appointment project plans are stored. In addition, there is a comparator 4 which carries out the previously described comparison between the project plans with one another and the one or more project plans.

An example of such a schedule, one from it derived project schedule as well as a project plan with an appointment project plan entered for comparison is in listed in Tables 1 to 4 below. In the project plan according to table 3 is according to calendar weeks ordered the time required for the implementation of individual Projects (project 1 to project 3) in different  Calendar weeks (1st to 3rd calendar week) under touch view of the employee "Meier". In which In the present case, the partners are the "X-AG" and the "Y-AG". Projects 1 and 2 are aimed at the partner "X-AG" while project 3 is realizing a Machine for the partner "Y-AG" represents.

In the simplified table are those for the employee "Meier" estimated working hours - broken down after the respective calendar week - and the required Total hours (total time required) to realize the respective current projects listed. You can see that on the basis setting a weekly working time of 40 hours in the 1st Calendar week only 6 hours available stand during the 2nd calendar week here a buffer of 26 hours and finally the 3rd calendar week 24 available hours (shown in the "Rest 1" - Column).

In the context of the method according to the invention, it is now conceivable, for example, that a business trip is agreed for the third calendar week via the schedule or the schedule project plan derived therefrom for the employee "Meier". Because the 16 hours to be completed there for projects 2 and 3 can easily be brought forward to the 2nd calendar week, so that there are only 10 freely available hours in the 2nd calendar week. In other words, a schedule with the entry "business trip" in the 3rd calendar week (see Tables 1 and 2) for the employee "Meier" leads to the described shift in the other project plans and at the same time to a message to the output device 2 , that the intended business trip in the 3rd calendar week is possible for the "Meier" employee.

The digital processing unit therefore checks in this Case whether calendar weeks upstream in the business trip freely available capacities for the work of the 3rd Calendar week (KW) are available. The individual a calendar week counting down from the 3rd week and checked for it. Is a calendar week with appropriate space has been found, the ent speaking entry or the described shift, the Business trip is confirmed for the 3rd KW and as a "project 4 "with 40 hours (see Table 2) in the" new "project plan entered (see Table 4). Then the ver remaining working time resources in the "Rest 2" section.

If further appointments still occur in the 1st and / or 2nd calendar week, it must of course be taken into account here that the "Meier" employee currently has a reduced time quota. In fact, after taking the business trip into account, there are still 6 hours available in the 1st calendar week, while the 2nd calendar week shows 10 more working hours (rest 2). If, for example, an external appointment in the first calendar week with an absence of more than 6 hours should be arranged as part of a further appointment, a comparison of the resulting project plan with the now current project plan, taking into account the resource "employee Meier", leads to one corresponding message to the output device 2 . Because this desired absence is <6 hours (rest 2 in the 1st week).

In detail, the new appointment project plan is set up in such a way that the notified away appointment is identified, for example, with a "Project 5", which is entered in the first calendar week. If, for example, 8 hours are required for "Project 5", the addition of projects 1 to 5 in the first calendar week leads to a required total number of hours of 42 hours, taking into account the weekly working time of 40 hours or the limited number of hours Resource "weekly working time of the employee Meier" leads to the described message to the output device 2 .

Table 1

Appointment schedule

Resource: employee "Meier"

Table 2

Tertin project plan

Resource: employee "Meier"

Table 3

Project plan

Resource: employee "Meier"; Partners: "X-AG", "Y-AG"

Table 4

Project plan

Comparison of the project plans for projects 1 to 3 with the schedule project plan

Claims (11)

1. A method for automatically linking at least one schedule to one or more project plans using a digital processing unit, with the following method steps:

• a) Each individual schedule is converted into an at least resource-bound schedule that is adapted to the format of the existing project plans;
• b) the schedule project plan is then compared with the other project plans at least depending on resources.

2. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that the respective project plan as project, resource and / or, if applicable, partner-related timing coordinated actions. 3. The method according to claim 1 or 2, characterized records that each project plan has at least one Resource depends. 4. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized characterized that every action of the project plan on the Availability of the at least one resource checked becomes.   5. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 4 thereby characterized that the appointment project plan of at least depends on a resource and is project and partner independent is pending. 6. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized marked that the appointment project plan as resources dependent timing of action specified by dates NEN is trained. 7. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 6, characterized characterized that the appointment project plan for each individual resource with the project plan or project plans of the matching resource. 8. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 7, characterized characterized that the comparison with a view to the in particular the temporal or quantitative limitations of the Resource (s) is made. 9. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 8, characterized characterized that the project plan and the schedule Project plan as data records in a relational database are filed. 10. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 9, characterized characterized that the project plan and the schedule Project plan hours, days, weeks, months and / or Compatibility or consideration of the Limited resources.   11. Digital processing unit for automatically linking at least one schedule with one or more project plans with
an input device ( 1 ) and an output device ( 2 )
a memory ( 3 ) and
a comparator ( 4 ),
whereby in the comparator ( 4 ) the schedule project plan is compared with the other project plans at least in a resource-dependent manner.